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Theresa May’s government has won a confidence motion with 325 to 306 votes – just one day after she suffered the biggest parliamentary defeat ever over her Brexit deal.

A new general election was avoided after a majority of 19 MPs showed support in the prime minister, who failed to get backing on her Withdrawal Agreement from 118 of her own MPs on Tuesday.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled the vote after May’s deal was rejected by a majority of 230 votes, but ministers were unwilling to gamble with their own positions in Parliament and backed the existing government on Wednesday evening.

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Theresa May’s government has won a confidence motion (Picture: AP)

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tabled the vote after May’s deal was rejected by a majority of 230 votes (Picture: PA)

May invited the leaders of opposition parties to meet with her one-on-one to discuss a way forward for Brexit, starting already tonight.

She told MPs that the Government would continue to work to increase ‘prosperity, guarantee our security and to strengthen our union’.

May continued: ‘I do not take this responsibility lightly and my Government will continue its work to increase our prosperity, guarantee our security and to strengthen our union.

‘We will also continue to work to deliver on the solemn promise we made to the people of this country to deliver on the result of the referendum and leave the European Union.’

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Corbyn, raising a point of order after the vote, said after his defeat: ‘Last night the House rejected the Government’s deal emphatically.

‘A week ago the House voted to condemn the idea of a no-deal Brexit.

‘Before there can be any positive discussions about the way forward, the Government must remove clearly once and for all the prospect of the catastrophe of a no-deal Brexit from the EU and all the chaos that would come as a result of that.’

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Jeremy Corbyn’s no confidence motion failed (Picture: AFP)

Theresa May's statement after winning confidence vote in full:

‘On a point of order, Mr Speaker, I am pleased that this House has expressed its confidence in the Government tonight.

‘I do not take this responsibility lightly. And my Government will continue its work to increase our prosperity, to guarantee our security, and to strengthen our Union.

‘And yes, we will also continue to work to deliver on the solemn promise we made to the people of this country to deliver on the result of the referendum, and leave the European Union.

‘I believe this duty is shared by every member of this House. And we have a responsibility to identify a way forward that can secure the backing of the House.

‘To that end, I have proposed a series of meetings between senior parliamentarians and representatives of the Government over the coming days.

‘And I would like to invite the leaders of parliamentary parties to meet with me individually, and I would like to start these meetings tonight.

‘Mr Speaker, the Government approaches these meetings in a constructive spirit and I urge others to do the same.

‘But we must find solutions that are negotiable and command sufficient support in this House.

‘And, as I have said, we will return to the House on Monday to table an amendable motion and to make a statement about the way forward.

‘The House has put its confidence in this Government. I stand ready to work with any member of this House to deliver on Brexit, and ensure that this House retains the confidence of the British people.’

Before the vote, Corbyn said May’s ‘zombie’ administration had lost its right to govern, while the PM said a general election was simply ‘not in the national interest’.

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Labour’s deputy leader Tom Watson said: ‘she is a prime minister without a majority for her flagship policy, with no authority and no plan B.’

Environment Secretary Michael Gove said May had provided ‘inspirational leadership’ at the end of the debate.

Despite her win, the PM and the country is still facing a difficult 48 hours, and May’s next step is crucial with just 72 days left before the UK is due to leave the European Union.

Labour’s Deputy leader Tom Watson called for a general election ahead of the vote (Picture: BBC)

Michael Gove launched a scathing attack on Corbyn and his leadership (Picture: AFP)

She is expected to meet with Cabinet Ministers, the DUP and senior MPs from all parties to discuss what it will take to get a Brexit deal through.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there is still time for negotiations between the EU and Britain.

She told reporters in Berlin: ‘We will of course do everything to find an orderly solution, but we are also prepared if there is no orderly solution.’

Corbyn opened Wednesday’s debate on motion of no confidence in May’s government by saying that any prime minister who had lost a vote like she did yesterday ‘should resign.’

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May has invited MPs to cross-party talks for ‘genuinely negotiable’ discussions on the future of Brexit. The Labour leader has confirmed he has not been invited to such talks.

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May’s spokesman told Metro.co.uk after the vote on Tuesday: ‘The prime minister still wants to deliver the Brexit people voted for. They did not vote for a no-deal Brexit but leaving in an orderly fashion.

‘She will be holding meetings with senior parliamentarians from different parties over the coming days. This will not include Jeremy Corbyn.’

There is no limit to the number of no confidence votes Corbyn can call.